<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Wild Echoes of the Past by Namian_Velius</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24943648">Wild Echoes of the Past</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Namian_Velius/pseuds/Namian_Velius'>Namian_Velius</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Immortals [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Legend of Zelda &amp; Related Fandoms</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), Linked Universe AU, Other Additional Tags to Be Added</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 08:02:26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,035</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24943648</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Namian_Velius/pseuds/Namian_Velius</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"Hyrule is not allowed to help you with gardening," Legend warned. "If you see a kid about my height with brown hair and speaks like a goddess-damned angel, under no circumstances is he allowed to help you, got that?"</p>
<p>Wild furrowed his brows. "…Why?"</p>
<p>"Because before we moved, he burned down a forest. That kid is grounded for a fucking century."</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Immortals [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1807360</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>133</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Wild Echoes of the Past</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Kaselton was a dark and dreary town that was rarely blessed by the light of the sun. The houses lining the streets were dull in color, curtains drawn tight, and the sidewalks were aligned with gas lamps which had protective markings etched into the metal. The roads themselves made it most uneasy to drive on as it couldn't seem to decide whether to be cobblestone or asphalt, and thus settled on having patches of old brickwork standing out against the fresh pavement. It wasn't out of the ordinary for a simple walk to be accompanied by a stray cat or a dog, both of which would trot at an arms' length from a person, and cheekily dance away should they attempt to pet either one.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wild was used to such an environment. For over the past year, it was the only thing he had ever known. The despondency and drabness of his town had always been a fixed constant; something routine and </span>
  <em>
    <span>familiar.</span>
  </em>
  <span> As of now... well, Wild felt like he could do with something a little bit more brighter. He would have spared a little gratitude towards the Three in appreciation for the lack of rain that was often wonted in this murky town. Sadly, he had other things to worry about. One main thing really, and it was the property he stood in front of.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A tall, wrought-iron fence had risen from the ground, the swirling and warped metal providing an impeccable barrier which, in addition to the frequent masses of twisting and gnarling vines, provided a rather clear warning to those who remained on the outside of the property. The foliage was thick enough that Wild, who attempted to peer through the railing, could only see the overgrown grass and the upper story of a large mansion that often loomed over the fence.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wild had passed by this mansion many a time. In the earliest of dawn, the latest of night, and the midst of the afternoon. Gossipmongers have taken to whispering tales on how old spirits haunt the property and curse those who manage to sneak inside. Despite the fact the Wild had </span>
  <em>
    <span>never </span>
  </em>
  <span>heard of anyone trying to get past the fence (aside from himself), crude drawings were etched into the sidewalk around the mansion as a protective barrier from the dead. As creepy as it was, Wild didn't think that the mansion was actually that bad; it had this strange, airy quality perfectly balanced with a dark oppressiveness that gave the mansion a unique flair. Any other day, Wild would drink in the sensation with open arms, enjoying the light hues and dark tones that painted this drab world of his with a new cluster of colors.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Today just so happened to not be that day.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wild was not alone in this daunting adventure of his. No, as he glanced off to the side, he met the figure of a teenager around fourteen or fifteen, dressed in a striped tee and jeans with short, auburn hair sprouting from his crown. He was shaking so bad that Wild could feel the icy cold threatening to paralyze the boy as if it were his own. If Wild was nervous, this kid was </span>
  <em>
    <span>terrified.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This whole ordeal started with an ad in the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Kaselton Weekly </span>
  </em>
  <span>nearly a week ago. A family had moved into the abandoned, dilapidated, all-fearing Nightshade Mansion prior to that and was on the hunt for a gardener. The pay sounded better than most of the jobs he had applied to and since Wild already had an aptitude for herbs. He thought of it as a branch to cooking, something he wanted to major in when he was able to apply for a college. That was, at least, the </span>
  <em>
    <span>main </span>
  </em>
  <span>reason why he was here. The lesser, yet equally important motive was because… well, he was </span>
  <em>
    <span>curious.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Nine broken bones, three fractures, and a twisted ankle was the fruit borne of Wild's efforts when he attempted to climb over the fence. It had all ended with failure and Wild was certain that the doctors were tired of seeing him. Actually, now that he thought about it, he may be the reason as to why people think this place is cursed. Now he was being allowed inside and all he wanted to do was walk away.</span>
</p>
<p><em><span>Well...</span></em> <em><span>At least I'm not alone.</span></em></p>
<p>
  <span>"If you want to leave, you're free to go the fuck ahead," a voice drawled from behind.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The boy positively </span>
  <em>
    <span>shrieked, </span>
  </em>
  <span>and both he and Wild whipped around to look behind at where the voice had originated from. A teenager around seventeen, eighteen, stared back, a golden fringe framing his face with the lock on the left side dyed a subtle pink. He was wearing a black turtle-neck, matching rolled-up shorts, converse, and Wild was in awe of the bright crimson jacket they wore in company of the light blue beanie on his head. The clothes were too bright, too colorful, for the wash-out flavor of the town. His presence alone felt like the mansion itself, swirling with similar shades of warmth and gloom that it was no wonder that Wild hadn't noticed him at first. His eyes, an impressive shade of electric blue that Wild couldn't remember seeing before, landed on him for a mere, careless moment before shifting towards the auburn-headed kid.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The blond shoved his hands into his pockets with a scowl and jerked his chin towards the road. "Go on, run home to mommy. If she has any issues with it, she can come up here and talk to </span>
  <em>
    <span>me </span>
  </em>
  <span>personally."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The boy didn't look as frightened as he had earlier. He did, however, have this faraway look in his eyes, offering the teenager a dim nod before heading off on unsteady feet. The blond murmured something about feeble minds before glancing over at Wild. He raked his gaze over Wild's outfit, which was a dark blue hoodie unzipped to show the simple, dull blue shirt underneath, gray pants, and running shoes. Despite the fact that Wild was here to be a gardener, he couldn't help but feel like </span>
  <em>
    <span>maybe</span>
  </em>
  <span> he should have tried wearing a little bit more. He could have tied his hair up into a bun at the very least.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Seconds seemed to pass into minutes before the teenager released an unimpressed harrumph and looked away. Wild found himself a little offended; his outfit could have been better, certainly, but it wasn't </span>
  <em>
    <span>that </span>
  </em>
  <span>bad.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"The name's Legend." The teenager- </span>
  <em>
    <span>Legend,</span>
  </em>
  <span> said as he strode towards the gate and started punching numbers into a dial pad that rested on a nearby column. Not only was this the first time that Wild ever saw it, he was surprised that the device even worked. "I have the delightful task of showing you around the mansion. And in case you ever start to wonder, I'm also the one that is likely to find you if you ever get lost." Legend pulled away from the pad when the gate buzzed and glared at Wild. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>Please </span>
  </em>
  <span>don't get lost."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Okay... um, does that mean that I'm hired then?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The gate began to slowly swing open with a series of creaks and moans as though an old life was waking. That, in correspondence with Legend's chilling glare, took everything that Wild had to not look uncomfortable about it. "What the fuck do you think?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I-I, erm-" Wild's face burned as he floundered with his words. "Mr. Forester... I thought that he was going to interview me?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The statement had turned into a question at his uncertainty. Legend snorted and the noise made Wild face grow even warmer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"The Old Man? Yeah, no, I was the one that put the ad in the paper. My adoptive </span>
  <em>
    <span>father-"</span>
  </em>
  <span> he scrunched his nose. "-trusts me to handle all the social bullshit since I'm one of the eldest. You're not the first one that stopped by but you </span>
  <em>
    <span>are </span>
  </em>
  <span>the only one that stayed. I'll see your work firsthand then decide whether or not to kick your ass out."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Harsh.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That crass way of speaking. It was blunt, rude, and had all the elegance of an angered bull in a pottery shop, but it was honest. After months of not knowing who he is and being told who he should be by various people, Wild found that he very much preferred the bitter truth over a sweet lie. With the gate now open, the teenager made his way into the yard without even a backwards glance towards Wild. Wild made to move before pausing in his steps and his eyes wander over Nightshade Mansion. He had never seen the property in its entirety. The fence rose too high to get a proper look and any ladder that Wild had brought over ended up breaking in some way. Now that he was being allowed inside - that he was </span>
  <em>
    <span>invited,</span>
  </em>
  <span> he was able to see the mansion in all of it's ominous glory.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gravel led the way from the gate, forming a driveway as it made its way up to the mansion, and circled around the large fountain that resided in the center. A cluster of vines crawled up the statue of an elegant fairy and curled almost lovingly around the effigy. She was forever frozen with two slim arms crossed over her chest, another one reaching forwards, and the last one held outwards as though she had been captured in the midst of a dance, holding a hand out towards a partner with her gaze downcast and a gentle smile playing on her lips. Her wings were in the form of glass, glittering meticulously even under the cloudy sky, taking the shape of six lotus petals that fanned out behind her bare back. Wild could barely catch sight of the skirt that was overridden with plants and, oddly, that was fine. She looked prettier with her outfit composed of vines and long, wavy hair adorned with flowers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wild hadn't even realized that his feet had carried him over to the fountain. No, distracted as he was, it wasn't until Legend's voice rang out that he became aware of where he was.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Are you coming or not?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wild blinked and tore himself away from the figurine. Legend was waiting by the porch stairs, one hand resting on his hip, while he glowered impatiently from his place.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah..." Wild gave the fairy one last glance before he made his way over. For a brief moment, he thought that the two of them were going to make their way up the worn set of stairs up to the porch. No, instead, Legend led him off to the side where a well-trodden path was forged through the overgrown grass to the building that was conjoined to the mansion. As they walked in silence, Wild couldn't help but eye the structure and wonder what sort of timber had been used. The wood itself was so dark that he couldn't tell if it was natural or dyed, as the patterns and texture in the material was so </span>
  <em>
    <span>different </span>
  </em>
  <span>from anything he had come across.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"This is the guesthouse." Legend drew to a halt and motioned to the extended building. "I don't give a damn with what you do with the grass around the property but I do want this flower bed well taken care of."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wild stared at the flowerbed near the windows with incredulity. Purple flowers sprouted up from the earth, their delicate and fragile petals forming unique hooded shapes. It was known as Wolfsbane or, scientifically, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Aconitum napellus. </span>
  </em>
  <span>He, on the other hand, was familiar with it by another name.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Is that </span>
  <em>
    <span>monkshood?"</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He could feel Legend's gaze on him. Even without looking, it seared through his skin and made it feel like every thought and feeling that Wild had was being observed and calculated. "Yeah. Is there a problem with it?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Is there- Was he serious? "That's </span>
  <em>
    <span>poisonous.</span>
  </em>
  <span>"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"And?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wild finally met Legend's vision with his own wide eyes. "Touching it can harm or even kill someone!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'll ask again. </span>
  <em>
    <span>And?"</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He's serious,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Wild belatedly realized. Either Legend didn't care for his or anyone's wellbeing or he genuinely didn't see a problem with it. Wild was starting to doubt whether or not being here was a good idea. And maybe his thoughts showed on his face too, because Legend released a heavy sigh.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Look." He motioned to the flowerbed. "These flowers were homegrown by a brother of mine. They're poisonous, yeah, but they're..." Legend's expression faltered for a moment before he grit his teeth. "They're </span>
  <em>
    <span>important."</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wild wasn't sure how to dissect that. First off, who grew </span>
  <em>
    <span>poisonous plants </span>
  </em>
  <span>in a </span>
  <em>
    <span>flowerbed?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Second, </span>
  <em>
    <span>why </span>
  </em>
  <span>were they so important? He sensed a story there, something that was probably a really touchy subject, but it also was not his place to ask so Wild did his best to crush his budding curiosity and bit his tongue. Wild thanked the Goddesses that he knew how to deal with monkshood because that could have ended badly otherwise; Legend hadn't even checked to see if he knew how to properly handle them. Actually, was he even the slightest bit concerned?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Over here is the greenhouse..."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Legend led him to a glass structure that was connected to the guest house. The worn path from both there and the mansion towards the greenhouse showed how often the building had been visited. Legend was at least kind enough to hold the door open for Wild on the way in and allowed him to take a look around.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Compared to the vegetation outside running rampant, the interior of the greenhouse was neat and tidy. Most of the first rows were food-based plants and medicinal herbs, both of which had been carefully separated and categorized. It wasn't until they reached the back end of the greenhouse that they came across the more poisonous plants. Looking back, Wild </span>
  <em>
    <span>really </span>
  </em>
  <span>shouldn't have been surprised when he saw that. He was, however, glad that a glass wall and a door created distance between them and the other herbs. Especially when his sight landed on a certain miniature bush.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Is that belladonna?" he asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Uh-huh."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wild deadpanned because, </span>
  <em>
    <span>of course it is. Why did I think otherwise?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Do I even want to know </span>
  <em>
    <span>why</span>
  </em>
  <span> you have them?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, you can't have a Nightshade Mansion without some actual nightshade, right?" Legend countered. He regarded Wild for a brief moment and smirked. "Besides, these are </span>
  <em>
    <span>great </span>
  </em>
  <span>for cooking. It's the bittersweet nightshade around the property that we don't particularly care for."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Was Wild listening? Oh, more or less. His thoughts had ended up stuck on a certain portion. "Did you just say that they're great for </span>
  <em>
    <span>cooking?"</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Is something wrong with that?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"You're not suppose to use them with food!"</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Legend shrugged. He actually </span>
  <em>
    <span>shrugged.</span>
  </em>
  <span> "It's not like they'll kill us."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That is </span>
  <em>
    <span>exactly </span>
  </em>
  <span>what they do."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Legend snorted at Wild's words and waved him off. "They haven't yet. We'll be fine."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wild furrowed his brows. Is Legend implying that he's eaten them before? That it's </span>
  <em>
    <span>normal </span>
  </em>
  <span>for him and his family? How the hell are these people still alive!?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Those questions remained unasked and, therefore, unanswered, so Wild shoved those thoughts to the back burner. He instead focused on the plants on their way out and how well cared for they were; they had grown remarkably for being a few weeks old.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"The backyard has a hedge maze," Legend commented. They had ended up back outside and now Wild was being led all the way to the back of the mansion with their path overlooked by bushes and trees. When Legend had mentioned a maze, Wild expected something more like a small, confusing path. No, he found himself coming to a stop when he took in the bushes that rose higher than he was tall. The maze wasn't a maze, but a labyrinth, winding and weaving its paths across the large backyard and hiding it's contents from prying eyes. The only thing that could even be seen is the very top of what Wild could only assume to be a gazebo as the centerpiece, and how he wished to explore it. He went to take a step forward before being starkly reminded that he wasn't alone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Hyrule is not to help you with gardening," Legend warned. "If you see a kid about my height with brown hair and speak like a goddess-damned angel, under no circumstances is he allowed to help you, got that?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wild furrowed his brows. "Why?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Because before we moved, he </span>
  <em>
    <span>burned </span>
  </em>
  <span>down a </span>
  <em>
    <span>forest.</span>
  </em>
  <span> That kid is grounded for a fucking century."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"He- </span>
  <em>
    <span>What?"</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Legend moved on without another thought. Wild reached out as his guide made his way towards the doors practically hidden behind an army of bushes made of bittersweet nightshade in a vain attempt to backtrack to the conversation because </span>
  <em>
    <span>what?</span>
  </em>
  <span> If he was working for someone who drops information like </span>
  <em>
    <span>that, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Wild felt like he deserved an explanation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"These are what </span>
  <em>
    <span>really </span>
  </em>
  <span>need to be trimmed. I would very much like to not have these things slapping me in my beautiful face." Legend's voice was laced with sarcasm as he glared at the door. Finally, some sort of realization must have dawned on him because he groaned. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>Dammit, </span>
  </em>
  <span>we should have started with the backyard first."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The question pertaining as to why died on Wild's lips as he watched his guide stomp his way towards the door and... start wrestling... with the bushes?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Will you just- </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ack! </span>
  </em>
  <span>Goddesses, </span>
  <em>
    <span>be still, you fuckin- Ow!"</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wild bit his lower lip to keep from laughing. The bushes were </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>having it and every time Legend pushed down a branch, another one came up to smack him in the face. It's almost as though his </span>
  <em>
    <span>beautiful face </span>
  </em>
  <span>alone was a magnet.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Will you just come over and </span>
  <em>
    <span>help</span>
  </em>
  <span> so I can laugh at </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> when we're inside," Legend hissed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A guffaw fought its way from Wild's chest and he approached to assist Legend with the bushes. It took only mere seconds for the amusement to die and fade away like it never existed to begin with.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Those bushes were </span>
  <em>
    <span>demons.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>By the time they made it to a door, Wild contemplated on how upset Legend would be if he decided to burn them down. Hopefully not too much. Who was this Hyrule person and where can he be found? Anyways, it was safe to say that Wild was immensely grateful when Legend found the door handle and twisted it, encouraging the two to hurry inside and slam the door shut on the hissing and snarling branches. Okay, the last part was Wild's imagination but, to be fair, he wouldn't have been surprised if they </span>
  <em>
    <span>did </span>
  </em>
  <span>hiss and snarl.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It's not so funny now, is it?" Legend sneered. He was gingerly touching the fresh scrape on his cheekbone with pure annoyance.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Grab me a pair of sheers and I will </span>
  <em>
    <span>happily </span>
  </em>
  <span>trim those bushes," Wild responded. He wasn't unscathed himself if the stinging on his forehead was anything to go by. One of the branches must have scratched him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, yeah. Don't get too eager. I still got to show you around the inside."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wild froze for a mere second because, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Goddesses, I'm inside! </span>
  </em>
  <span>before risking a look around.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For a moment, he thought that they must have been teleported to a different place. The room they were in was large, full of high windows, and long drapes. A dark-rimmed pool of still, lavender water accompanied most of the room, and either end was adorned with a fireplace made out of stone. Despite the chandelier above that was quite obviously electrical, sconces lined the dark mahogany walls and were set alight with blue flames. That, in correspondence with the fog and polished floor made of that foreign dark wood, made the interior of the mansion vastly different and far less dilapidated than the exterior.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hold on, wait. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fog?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yes, fog. Wild eyed the misty tendrils that curled and danced across the floor without disturbance. It was easily a foot high yet thin enough to see the surroundings. He first thought the source of it to be a fog machine but, when he searched for the source, found nothing to indicate that being the case. Even the chemical smell was absent and instead left a scent similar to the aftermath of rainfall. That meant that this was real, genuine fog. </span>
  <em>
    <span>How?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"This is the pool room, obviously," Legend stated. He strolled through the fog like it didn't exist. "Warriors likes to call it the 'natatorium' because it 'sounds a lot better than a </span>
  <em>
    <span>pool'</span>
  </em>
  <span>." His voice had taken on a snobby cadence as he was undoubtedly mimicking someone else's voice. "City kids, I swear. Now, if you follow me..."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Legend led Wild through a series of hallways. They didn't have any fog, thankfully, but the decorations made him wonder how much income the Foresters had. Unlike the natatorium, the intersecting halls were lit with electrical light. A velvet rug ran down the center of each passage and the walls were adorned with impressive pictures and paintings. Some, Wild noticed with a frown, that had been taken down and turned to face the wall. It was hard to remember that this was </span>
  <em>
    <span>Nightshade Mansion, </span>
  </em>
  <span>the horror house of Kaselton. That wasn't to say that it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>all </span>
  </em>
  <span>different; the floors creaked and groaned under each step and the wood used on the house proceeded to make his skin crawl with the unfamiliar energy just as he suspected it would. There was still enough peculiarity here for Wild to not be disappointed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There were many other rooms that he had been shown. The bathroom, the sitting room, the library, the grand foyer, the dining room, all on the first floor. Wild noticed that there were many other pictures that had been taken down and turned around as well, making him wonder why.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"This is the kitchen," Legend spoke up. He was actually a decent tour guide and had been giving Wild the basic rundown of the rooms despite the fact that the mental layout had long been forgotten. A little voice whispered in the back of his mind, wondering why a simple gardener would need an inside tour of the mansion anyways. Wild recognized it as the familiar voice of reason and promptly shoved it from his mind. He had more interesting things to focus on. "You're free to use it any time you want."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wild gave him an incredulous stare. It was a large area, perfect for freedom of movement, with the counters set in an octagonal shape with four breaks between them and another pair of counters set in the center. The countertops themselves were made out of white quartz, applied with blue-gray lines that curved in a design that he recognized as liquid sky, working in correspondence with the dark cabinets. Silver pans hung from the rack on the ceiling, utensils were carefully set up around the area, and the energy in here was unlike anything else in the mansion, brushing intimately against Wild like an old friend. This was, without a doubt, a five-star kitchen and whoever took care of this did so </span>
  <em>
    <span>well.</span>
  </em>
  <span> "I can cook </span>
  <em>
    <span>here?!”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yep." Legend's tone was full of self-satisfaction. "Malon is the only one that uses this room since everyone else is shit at cooking. I mean, I can make an edible meal on a good day, but that's as far as my talents go. I'm sure she wouldn't mind someone else using it for once."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Malon?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"The Old Man's wife. She's a sweet woman and a good person, so long as you don't piss her off. That woman has strength like you can't believe and it's </span>
  <em>
    <span>terrifying.</span>
  </em>
  <span>"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Legend paused for a moment, his brows creasing as he tilted his head like he was listening to something. Wild himself frowned when, at the same time, the warm energy of the room was slightly muted by a vibe that felt like trees. "Fuck, I forgot he was here."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Who," Wild asked, and was taken aback when Legend grabbed him by the shoulders to try pushing him down.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"No time to explain - do both of us a favor and hide."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Legend, wha-"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey Legend," a new voice spoke up. "Do you know where Warriors left the-"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A teenager entered the doorframe. He was dressed in a green-and-black flannel, rugged jeans, leather boots, his sandy blond hair swept sideways to reveal a tattoo that overtook the middle of his forehead, went down the bridge of his nose, and was completed by similar markings on his cheekbones. He paused in mid-step, taking in the frozen Legend trying to shove a perplexed Wild out of sight. It took approximately three seconds for the teenager's cobalt eyes to harden and his nostrils to flare.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What is </span>
  <em>
    <span>he </span>
  </em>
  <span>doing here," he snarled, jabbing a finger in Wild's direction.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The sheer amount of anger, snapping and snarling in the air like a dark beast, was enough for Wild to take a step back, his heart recoiling in his chest as his gaze darted around the room for an escape route. Unlike him, Legend straightened up and stood his ground undeterred, one hand resting on his hip and arched a single eyebrow as if to say </span>
  <em>
    <span>"what do you want?"</span>
  </em>
  <span> Whether he had a death wish or was just that confident in himself, Wild didn't know and he was </span>
  <em>
    <span>really </span>
  </em>
  <span>thankful for it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Don't you remember, wolf boy?" Legend's voice was full of snark. "I talked about how I was going to hire a gardener."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Don't </span>
  <em>
    <span>you </span>
  </em>
  <span>remember, dreamer, that you were </span>
  <em>
    <span>outvoted?"</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Legend scoffed. "Someone is feeling sassy today. Look, you are the only one that voted no. I voted yes and everyone was on the fence. Time and I are busy, you suck at taking care of plants in general, every plant that Warriors touches </span>
  <em>
    <span>dies -</span>
  </em>
  <span> we needed a gardener."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What about Hyrule?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"In case you've forgotten, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Hyrule</span>
  </em>
  <span> is fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>grounded.</span>
  </em>
  <span> I'm not going to unground him because </span>
  <em>
    <span>you </span>
  </em>
  <span>find it convenient." Legend motioned both hands to Wild and, suddenly, he wasn't so thankful anymore. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>This </span>
  </em>
  <span>was the next best option."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The teenager ground his teeth together. "And out of everyone you could have possibly found, you chose </span>
  <em>
    <span>him?"</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>What was </span>
  <em>
    <span>that </span>
  </em>
  <span>suppose to mean?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"...He's the only one that didn't run off. What do you think that tells you?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The teenager growled, stalking out of the kitchen with even more rage than when he had first entered. When he was gone, Legend sagged with a heavy sigh, running his hand through his hair as a deep frowned marred his features. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He was more tense than he let on,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Wild realized.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"There you are, Four."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wild blinked. That comment was quite unexpected and, for a brief moment, he wondered if it was directed at him. Then Legend raised his gaze to a spot behind Wild, and he quickly turned around to see what was there.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A pair of eyes made of steel blue stared back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Agh!" Wild quickly backpedaled in Legend's direction, since it had already been established that the blond would at least help him. His back met the edge of the counter and it took him a </span>
  <em>
    <span>long </span>
  </em>
  <span>moment to realize that those eyes belonged to a person.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A very short person that was crouched on the counter.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Those eyes remained trained on Wild for a good moment. When Legend repeated the name, Four, it was only then that the person looked elsewhere. Wild felt significantly better when the heavy weight of that gaze let up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You needed me?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Four, as Wild had noted before, was a short person - about the same size of a kid, yet the lack of roundness indicated that he was most certainly a teenager. Golden blond hair sprouted from his crown and reached his shoulders, held away from his face with nothing more than a dark green headband. He was wearing a black hoodie with dark gray sweatpants and sneakers, and it was only then that Wild was able to sense his presence.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was faint, twisting and swirling like the faintest wisp of shadowy smoke. Legend's vibe was similar to the mansion yet the longer that Wild remained by his side, the more he noticed a sense of unrealistic realism encompassing him. The teenager that was in here prior felt as untamed as a ferocious beast and Four... the best way to put into words was that Four was like the smoke and mirrors belonging to a magician.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Kind of."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Legend threw an arm over Wild's shoulders and pushed him towards Four. Wild had to fight the urge to dig his heels into the wood because he most certainly did </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>want to get closer to the guy that just startled him. Four's face hadn't so much as twitched since he was noticed, much less blinked, and there was no way that someone's expression could be </span>
  <em>
    <span>that </span>
  </em>
  <span>impassive. "Will you watch this guy while I go talk to Twilight?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wild balked. Legend was going to </span>
  <em>
    <span>leave </span>
  </em>
  <span>him?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Four slipped off the counter and landed quietly on the floor. Wild thought that the height difference would be enough to settle his nerves. No, Four raised his gaze up to him and all that Wild could worry about was if the shorter one would try to take him out by the kneecaps. The teenager hadn't even bothered looking at Legend when he finally responded. "You know how he is when he's all stirred up. If you try to talk to him now, it'll end. Badly."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, yeah, I know. That's what the mom police are for right? Besides, he'll thank me in the long run." Legend tried to nudge Wild closer. Something that he absolutely refused this time. "Just watch Wild for a few minutes."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Four finally - </span>
  <em>
    <span>finally - </span>
  </em>
  <span>tore those staring eyes away from Wild and raised an eyebrow in Legend's direction. "I really don't think that's a- Hey!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That impassive face was shattered... at a cost. Legend had taken to pushing Wild none-too-kindly in Four's direction, who tripped over his own unwilling feet, and was now falling. Everything felt like it moved too slow yet too fast, keeping him from moving out of the way, but allowing everything in front of him to remain in perfect perspective.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Oh Goddesses, Four actually </span>
  <em>
    <span>does </span>
  </em>
  <span>blink.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The two ended up a tangled mess of flailing limbs and startled cries. Wild was a mess between apologizing to Four and cursing at Legend, who he was now starting to wish that he left alone to deal with the bushes himself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Thanks, Four!" The offender called out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"LEGEND!" Four yelled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When they finally managed to separate, Wild was largely taken aback when Four had stood up and held his hand out towards him. Oh, the smaller one's eyebrow was twitching, and he knew that someone was going to lose their kneecaps today, but Wild was certain that the ire was not directed at him and, for now, he was safe. With his shoulders relaxing and a smile resting on his face, Wild grabbed Four's hand and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry about that," Four mumbled. He glared in the direction of the same doorway that the teenager, Twilight, if Wild's attention to the conversation before was correct, had left through earlier. Legend probably went that way. Four eventually sighed and looked back at Wild. "You probably have no idea what you just got into, don't you?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Not a clue," he admitted, which was just like everything else he does in life.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Then prepared to be amazed.” The blond had given Wild a dramatic flourish that, honestly, looked pretty funny with that flat expression of his. “Let's start off with the names of everyone who lives here. There are ten of us so far." Four held up his hands and began ticking off his fingers. "You've already met Legend and myself, but there is also Wind, Sky, Hyrule, Twilight, Link, and Warriors. Aside from Link, we're all the adopted and we all have different surnames. The only two that are actually Foresters are Malon and Time."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Twilight is the guy that snarled at me, right?" Wild frowned as he tossed the doorway a dark look. "What's </span>
  <em>
    <span>his </span>
  </em>
  <span>problem?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That's a lot of baggage for me to explain... Oh boy, where do I start?" Four held his chin in his hand. "I suppose the easiest explanation is that he never wanted a gardener to begin with. That task belonged to one of our brothers since half of us are bad at it. And that brother, um..." He lowered his hand in favor of crossing his arms over his chest. "He's not here any more."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"These flowers were homegrown by a brother of mine. They're poisonous, yeah, but they're... they're</span>
  </em>
  <span> important.</span>
  <em>
    <span>"</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That's what Legend had said. He must've been alluding to the same brother that Four was speaking of, right? That </span>
  <em>
    <span>had </span>
  </em>
  <span>to be correct, since they both had looked genuinely upset about it. This was the touchy subject he avoided asking about the first time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Not the second, apparently.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What..." Wild swallowed down the lump forming in his throat. "What happened to him?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Four stilled at the question. His face ran through a quick flurry of expressions before slamming down on that cold deadpan he had when Wild first saw him. He answered, however. He off to the side, his voice trembled, and he squeezed tightly on his own upper arm, but Four answered despite that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"They went to the store one day. Legend and… It was supposed to be a simple trip; grab supplies for dinner, return home. Legend... he was the only one that came back... covered in bruises and blood." Four's voice cracked sharply and he quickly cut off. Seconds passed before he tried again and Wild found himself respecting the teenager for talking about something so emotional. "We found out that they had been attacked on the way back... The ones at fault, they grabbed our brother and we..."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He took a deep breath.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"We never saw him again."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wild stared. He didn't know how to respond to that. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Could </span>
  </em>
  <span>he even respond to it? Would it help if he tried?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>No,</span>
  </em>
  <span> he eventually decided. Four had risked a glance at him when Wild was debating it and stifled a cringe. Any attempts of consolation on an experience he was not familiar with may do more harm than good. A change of topic then?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"...Why don't we see what Legend's up to," Wild offered. An escape should Four wish to take it. And he did.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Good idea," he agreed hastily, using his sleeve to wipe tears that Wild hadn't noticed before. Four took the lead as he directed Wild from the kitchen and to the dining room. They heard Legend and Twilight long before they saw them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"-told you no! I fucking told you that I wasn't–!"</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p><span>"Wasn't what, Twi? </span><em><span>Ready!? </span></em><span>Do you </span><em><span>really </span></em><span>think that </span><em><span>they </span></em><span>will just wait until you feel</span> <span>ready enough to face them!?"</span></p>
<p>
  <span>"So what!? You think by just bringing </span>
  <em>
    <span>him </span>
  </em>
  <span>in, things are going to be so much better!?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes, I actually do. Because we </span>
  <em>
    <span>need </span>
  </em>
  <span>it."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wild stared wide-eyed as the intangible otherness clashed with shadowy rage.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Guys," Four spoke.</span>
</p>
<p><span>"Yeah, because that worked </span><em><span>so fucking well </span></em><span>the last</span> <span>time! Need I remind</span> <span>you what happened!?"</span></p>
<p>
  <span>"Guys!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"How many </span>
  <em>
    <span>times </span>
  </em>
  <span>do I need to say that what happened was an </span>
  <em>
    <span>accident!?</span>
  </em>
  <span> I will </span>
  <em>
    <span>NOT </span>
  </em>
  <span>make the same mistake!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Like hell you won't!" Twilight snarled. "You only worry about yourself - you never </span>
  <em>
    <span>care</span>
  </em>
  <span> about </span>
  <em>
    <span>any</span>
  </em>
  <span> of us. I bet that if </span>
  <em>
    <span>every single one of us died,</span>
  </em>
  <span> you wouldn't even do so much as </span>
  <em>
    <span>blink."</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And just like that, everything came to a complete halt.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wild wasn't sure what they were arguing about anymore, but it was obvious that whatever Twilight said, it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>wrong.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Legend's expression darkened into a thunderous cloud, Four balled his hands into fists, and even Twilight seemed to understand that he screwed up as his own dark fury dispersed into nothing. Without a contrast to keep it at bay, the atmosphere fluxed and snapped, no longer generating that clashing energy, but now bringing forth a cold flame that froze and burned the very air.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You want to try saying that again?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Legend's voice was controlled. Calm. Honestly, it was easily the scariest thing that Wild has seen thus far. The same must be true for Twilight because he took a step away from the furious Legend.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Go on. Say it. Give me a reason.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wild was really hoping that Twilight didn’t. He was pretty sure twat Legend being this pissed was a bad thing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What in the name of the Goddesses' is going on here?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The tension in the atmosphere had shattered. Legend wrinkled his nose at Twilight, muttering something about the mom police, and made a point to look at the staircase., where a voice had, thankfully, arrived from. All eyes were drawn to the top of the stairs, towards a beautiful lady with flame-colored hair, wearing a deep, rich purple dress that bore a halter neckline and a sweetheart bodice, and taking a step down the stairs revealed a slit going through the side of the full length chiffon skirt, with a pair of leather boots to finish off the outfit. The only jewelry to be found on her, Wild noticed, was the green jewel around her neck that was attached to a gold chain and a simple, gold wedding band on her ring finger.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No one had answered by the time she reached the bottom of the stairs. Her eyes of bright blue danced from Legend to Twilight from between her curtained bangs. </span>
  <em>
    <span>"Well?"</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That seemed to do the trick. Any extra animosity faded from Legend and he responded to the question by looking away with a huff. Twilight couldn't even meet her gaze and decided that staring at the floor was safe enough. The very air around her radiated warmth like a cozy fire and Wild knew instantly that he liked her. </span>
  <em>
    <span>A sweet woman,</span>
  </em>
  <span> were Legend's words. This must be Malon.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As if his thoughts alone had called her, she raised his head and her gaze met his. Malon's eyes widened a moment, then she approached him with a gentle smile. "You must be the gardener that Legend hired." She held her hand out, her country accent heavy but not unpleasant. It fit her. "My name is Malon Forester, you've probably been informed."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wild grabbed her hand and it took </span>
  <em>
    <span>everything </span>
  </em>
  <span>he had to not pull her into a hug. It made his heart churn unpleasantly, but he was absolutely sure that a </span>
  <em>
    <span>hug </span>
  </em>
  <span>was too friendly and inappropriate for a first meeting. Instead, he plastered a smile onto his face and shook the hand offered. "Yes, ma'am, I'm Wild Khamuro. Legend said that you were scary."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Four's snickering happened just as the mentioned teenager choked on air.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Did he now," Malon mused. Wild had to work to keep a smile off his face while Legend motioned desperately behind her back. He may have panicked a little.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Sorry," Wild laughed. He pulled his hand from hers and rubbed the back of his neck. "He told me not to make you mad."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Well..." She looked back at a groaning Legend with amusement. "That would be smart." Malon returned her attention to Wild. "I'm sure that today must have been quite an overwhelming day. Why don't you come back tomorrow and I'll have Sky get you started on gardening?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wild hesitated. He hadn't met Sky yet, so the idea of him being anything like Twilight... Speaking of Twilight, the teenager's face was pinched into a pained expression before he headed up the stairs and out of sight.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Sure," he agreed slowly. He might as well because he liked to think that he knew himself very well. Even with the potential baggage he'll be taking on, Wild didn't even need to wonder that as soon as he left this mansion, he would be wanting to come back. This mansion had been the fixation of his curiosity for the past year or so and he </span>
  <em>
    <span>needed </span>
  </em>
  <span>to explore it. Nightshade Mansion was unsettling, mysterious, and absolutely charming in it's own right; who </span>
  <em>
    <span>wouldn't</span>
  </em>
  <span> want to figure out all of it's nitty gritty secrets "What time would be best?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Malon smiled, her expression warm but her gaze melancholic.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Some time after one, if you don't mind. Sky isn't fond of getting out of bed before twelve."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>These guys really had their quirks, didn't they? Legend ate poisonous berries, Twilight has anger issues, Four was... Four. This place didn't seem like it would get boring any time soon.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Right, okay. Um, bye then-"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wild was about to turn away when Malon wrapped her arms around him and enveloped him into the warmest hug he had ever felt. He instinctively hugged back because something about this - it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>right.</span>
  </em>
  <span> He didn't know how long they spent hugging and, really, Wild didn't care. It still felt too soon when she pulled away, resting her hands on his shoulders, and staring at him as though he would disappear into dust.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Four... Will you get the door?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes ma'am."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wild heard Four's footsteps, but his thoughts became more focused on Malon when she pressed her forehead against his.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Come back soon, okay?" she whispered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She pulled away as the door opened and Wild already found himself missing her motherly warmth. He bid them all farewell, Legend waving carelessly, Four giving a nod, and Malon smiling, before he stepped out onto the porch and the door shut behind him. It felt like he had been here for several hours instead of just a few, yet Wild found himself wanting to enter the mansion once more. He reluctantly made his way down the porch, around the fountain, and across the gravel. It wasn't until he opened that gate that he looked back. The heavy curtain on the second-floor window swished shut on Twilight's frowning face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'll definitely come back," he murmured, turning to face the quiet street.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Wild's surname is Khamuro. Combined with Khateno, the Russian equivalent of Hateno, and Mura, which is village.</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>